Remote control valve



April 1s, 1961 2,980,385

E. J. HUNTER ETAL REMOTE CONTROL VALVE Filed Aug. 5, 1956 FIG'. 8

inw/N fv/V75@ ,e5/YZ /cHAeDs 0 0 IN VEN TORS BY mmwm United States Patent REMOTE CONTROL VALVE Edwin I. Hunter and Lorenzo A. Richards, both of R0. Box 489, Riverside, Calif.

Filed Aug. 3, 41956, Ser. No. 601,959

Claims. (Cl. 251-25) Our invention relates to remote control valves, and is a continuation-in-part of our previous patent applications for Booster Valves, filed: August 21, 1953, Serial No. 375,775 which issued as Patent No. 2,838,269 on June 6, 195 8; and for Remote Control Valve, iiled March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,382, now abandoned.

Included in the objects of our invention are:

First, to provide a remote control valve which has a low size-to-capacity ratio and involves a minimum number of parts, a single yieldable valve membrane not only controlling ow through the valve but also forming a wall of a pressure chamber.

Second, to provide a remote control valve wherein the pressure uid for control of the valve may be supplied from an extraneous source or be supplied from the upstream side of the valve through a bleed port in the valve membrane, and which, in the latter case, means is provided for automatic cleaning of the bleed port, thereby to minimize the possibility of clogging and permit satisfactory functioning of the valve even when controlling ow of water or other iiuid which may contain suspended solid matter.

Third, to provide a remote control valve which is particularly economical of manufacture to the extent that the entire valve may be discarded and replaced upon wear-out of the valve element, although the valve element may be readily removed and replaced, if desired.

Fourth, to provide a remote control valve Awhich may be arranged with flange connections to a Huid line whereby the valve may be installed and removed without disv turbing the position of the fluid line.

Fifth, to provide a remote control valve which is particularly adapted for use in connection with automatic irrigation systems such as shown in the patent of Lorenzo A. Richards, issued April 6, 1954, Patent Number 2,674,- 490, entitled: Method and Apparatus for Irrigating Plants.

With the above and other objects in View as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of one `form of our remote control valve.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof taken through 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view thereof taken through 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the valve membrane at it appears in operation, its closed position being shown by solid lines and its open position by dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of purging means for the bleed port through the valve membrane.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal view of a modied form of remote control valve taken through 6-6 of Fig'. 7 and showing one half of the valve membrane in its closed position as it appears in use and the other half thereof in its fully open position.

Figure 7 is an end view of the downstream side of the valve with portions broken away to illustrate the internal construction.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a further modied form of the remote control valve especially suited for valves of larger size.

Reference is first directed to Figs. 1 through 4. In the construction here shown a tubular valve body 1 is provided having an inlet end 2 and an outlet end 3. The inlet end is provided with external pipe threads 4; whereas the outlet end is provided with internal screwthreads 5. Between the inlet and outlet ends there is formed a Valve cavity 6 which forms with an inlet port 7 leading from the inlet end a valve seat 8.

The valve cavity 6 is provided with two or more internal ribs 9, one of which is intersected by a lateral control passage 10 internally screwthreaded at its extremity for connection to a control line, not shown.

Press tted between the ribs 9 is a mounting disk 11 having a cavity 12 at its under side and a lateral port 13 communicating with the passage 10. The disk is also provided with a thin-walled depending skirt 14. A substantially hemispherical valve membrane 15 is iitted within the skirt with its convex side directed downward and arranged to engage the valve seat 8. 'Ihe concave side of the valve membrane l15 is provided with an internal flange 16 and is secured to the margins of the cavity l12 by a hanged sleeve 17 press iitted into the cavity.

'Ihe valve membrane 15 is provided with a small central opening fitted with a bushing 18 having a bore forming a bleed port. Secured in the upper end of the disk 11 and projecting downwardly through thebushing 18 is a purging stem 19 of small diameter.

Operation of the remote control valve shown in Figs. 1 through 4 is as follows:

The valve membrane 15 normally assumes the position shown in Fig." 3. When the valve is installed in a flow line and flow from the passage 10 is prevented by a suitable valve means, such as a pilot valve A shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, fluid enters through the bushing 18 into a pressure chamber formed by the cavity 12 and the valve membrane causing the valve membrane to flatten and spread laterally, as shown by solid lines in Fig. 4, as the pressure within the pressure chamber becomes equal to the uid pressure at the inlet port 7.

Upon opening the passage 10 the pressure in the pressure chamber is relieved and the valve membrane opens under urge of the inlet pressure as indicated by the dotted line position of the valve membrane shown in Fig. 4.

Movement of the bushing 18 along the pin orstem 18 during movement of the valve membrane keeps the bleed port through the bushing clear.

Under extreme conditions, it is desirable to increase the purging action within the bleed port. This may be accomplished by providing small vanes 20 on the protruding end of the stem 19 as shown in Fig. 5. The vanes may cause vibration of the stem, or the upper end of the stem l19 may be mounted in a bearing 21 and the vanes twisted to Vcause the stem to rotate.

Reference is directed to Figs. 6 and 7. In the construction here illustrated a pair of ange iittings 31 and 32 are provided forming the intake and outlet ends respectively of the valve. Both are provided with internally screwthreaded bores 33 or otherwise provided for connection in a pipe line.

The iianged axial ends of the fittings 31 and 32 receive therebetween a valve body 34 the axial ends of which are held in sealing engagement with the iittings by tie bolts 35. The bolts are shown as enclosed within the peripheral wall 36 of the body 34.

The inlet fitting is provided at its flanged end with an internal constriction which forms a valve seat 37 confronting the valve body 34. The valve seat is surrounded supported.

by `an annular depression 38; The valve body is provided with acentrally disposed mounting core 39 which corresponds to the mounting Vdisk 11. In this case, however, the mounting core is formed integrally with the .valve `body'and is centered within the peripheral wallsA 36 by radiating webs 4t). The mounting core is bored toY form a skirt 41 ythe Vopen end of which confronts the depression 38and forms therewith a passageway from the inlet` disk 44. The clamping disk is r'st forced into the valve membrane .and inserted 4with the membrane into Ythe` mounting core. A screw "45 is inserted through the downstream or closed end of the mounting core and Yscrew- Y `valve membrane 42is secured in placeby a 'clamping threaded into the clamping disk so as to clamp the in-4 ternal iiange 43. c

The downstream or underside ofutherclamping disk is recessed toV form a hemispherical depression46. The

Vclosed end of the valve membrane, which may be frustoconical or semi-spherical, is so proportioned that it may fold into andybe supported in the recess of the clamping disk as indicated in Fig. 6. [With this` arrangement localized stressingor stretching ofthe valve membrane is avoided. This has been found particularly desirable vthe fluid pressure is excessive, asv the Ymembrane is fully It will be noted that thev membrane lifts completely vclear of the passageway around the underside of the skirt l41 when in its fully open position. i ,Also,;

the width` offthe passageway and the wall thickness'of the membrane are approximately the same so the unsupported area of the membrane when in its clos'edp'o-oV sition and under internal pressure isV not sutliciently large the clamping disk 44 and valve membrane 42. Y

.Operation of the valve construction Vshown' in Figs. 6

and7 is as follows: Y'

.Y When pressure fluid is supplied to theichamber, 50 at aV pressure'equal to therline pressure atthe upstream side of the valve, the valve membrane occupies the closed position shown in Fig. 6. YWhen the pressure in the chamber 50 is relieved,V the line pressure displaces the valve membrane'from the closed position to the fully open position shown in, Fig. 6. Thismay be accomplished by a three way pilot valve B indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6.Y Y

' The valve membrane 42 is shown without a bleed port; however, it may be. equipped with a bleed port formed byk the bushing 1S,and stem |19V of the first described structure. In such case the line 48 becomes a bleedline, which, when closed,=as byra pilot valve A as shown in ber 50 tope'rmit the' valve to open. If the stem 19 is Y provided, Vit is supported from the screw 45.

Vit will be observedtbat the valve bodyof the vvalve brane is thus readily accomplished.

Reference is now directed toil-iig. 8. The construction 'Y here illustrated is closely similar to the construction shown in Figs. "6 and 7, but is particularly designed for larger sizes of remote Vcontrol valves. In this construction, a pair of flanges 51 arefprovided, which may be identical. These are provided with internally screwthreaded bores 52 or' otherwise: arranged yfor attachment as by welding to inlet and outlet flow lines not shown. The anges are provided with a ring of holes adapted to receive tie bolts 53 for joining the iianges.

Fitted between theflanges within Vthe cage VformedV by thebolts 53,is aY hollowrvalvebody 54 having cylindrical wallsV S5. The Ywalls 55, are provided at the inlet end of the valve body with a slight counterbore which receives a valve seat disk 56. VThedisk is 'provided with a valve seat lip v57 facing into the valve body.

The valve bojdy is provided with a centrally disposed mounting core S8 supported fromrthe wallsSS by radial webs 59. The core `isrecessedto form a cylindrical skirt 66 directed toward the valve seat disk 5'6. 'I'he skirt receives' a cup-shaped valve membrane V61V, having an internal iiange `62 at 'its open end which is clamped within the upper or closed endV of the mounting core by Y a clamping disk'63 and 'screwj64J- The underside of the disk 63 is provided with a homispherical recess 65 and defines with the interiorof the valve membrane a pressure chamber 66. A port 67 through the disk 63 and a lateral passage y68 through one ofthe webs 59, connects thel pressure chamber with a bleed line or uid pressure line asin the lirst or seconddescbedfstructures. In the former' case, al bushing 18 and stemy 19 may define a bleed port through the valve membrane L61. v

Operation of the construction shownin Fig. 8 is similar to the previously described remote control valves. In therconstruction shown in Fig. `8, both the valve body and valve seat disk may be removed or replaced..y

Although We have'lshown and described certain embodiments ofour invention, we do not desire to limit the inventionk thereto, but Vdesire to include within the scope of the invention all novelty inherent in the appended v claims.

Y clamping disk 44 connects the passage '47 with a presf. Y

sure chamber'!) defined by the conrontingwalls o Weclaim: f 'Y l. A control valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet port, a valve seat at said inlet port, an outlet port and a valve chamber therebetween, said valve chamber having internalrrib's; a mounting core within said ribs and spaced thereby from the walls of Vthervalve chamber, said Y mounting core having a control passage directedthrough one ofsaid V'ribs and walls defining a e saidinlet port and communicating Withrsaid control pas- Pig, 3, permits the upstream pressure to close the valve, and when open kbleeds the fluid from the pressure cham-V recessV confronting said inlet port of larger Ydiameter than sage, the' extremities of said walls being spaced froni ythe portions of the valveY chamber walls surrounding said r for relieving the'pressure in said pressure chamber to permit openingof said inlet port.VV

2. A control valve as setrforth in claim 1, wherein: said pressurizing means includes a tubularY bushing in said valve V.membrane communicating between said inlet port and said pressure chambe/n'and a stern retained in said mounting core and projecting through said bushing to restrictsaid bleed port and wipeV said Vbushing as said valve moves between its open position and closed position.

3. A control'valveV as set forth in claim l, wherein: said valve membrane is provided withV aV bleed port; a stem is rotatably supported by said V.mounting corel and projects through said bleed port to restrict said bleed port; and means is provided to move said stem.

4. A control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said ribs extend longitudinally in said valve chamber and said outlet port and mounting core are dimensioned to permit insertion of said mounting core through sai outlet port.

5. A control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inlet port and outlet port are formed in ange members having parallel confronting faces; said valve chamber is formed within a block laterally slidable between said anges and having parallel end faces for cooperation with said confronting faces; and -tie bolts connect said ange members to clamp said block therebetween.

6. yA control valve, comprising: a valve body structure defining an inlet port, a valve chamber, and an outlet port, centering ribs formed within said valve chamber and a control passage directed laterally through one of said ribs; a mounting core located between said ribs and dening with the portions of the walls of the valve chamber surrounding said inlet port an annular entrance passage affording communication between said inlet port and outlet port, said mounting core having a recess within the area of said entrance passage and confronting said inlet port, said recess being in communication with said control passage; a cupped yieldable valve membrane secured to said mounting core and covering said recess to define therewith a pressure chamber, communicating with said control passage, said valve membrane being movable to and from engagement with said inlet port to control flow through said valve body structure in response to change in pressure in said pressure chamber, said valve membrane having a wall thickness at least one-half the axial dimension of said annular entrance passage and arranged to resist pressure differentials between said inlet port and outlet port.

7. A control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inlet and outlet ports are formed in ilange members having'confronting parallel faces; said valve chamber is formed within a block laterally slidable between said flanges and having parallel end faces for cooperation with said confronting faces; said valve seat is integral with the ange member having said inlet; and tie bolts join said flange members to clamp said block therebetween.

8. A control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inlet and outlet are formed in flange members having confronting parallel faces; said valve chamber is formed within a block laterally slidable between said anges and having parallel end faces for cooperation with said confronting faces; said valve seat is formed in a disk se-t in one end of said block adjacent said inlet flange member; and tie bolts join said ange members to clamp said block therebetween.

9. A control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inlet port is surrounded by an annular channel to form a raised valve seat and said skirt extends toward said channel to approximately `the level of said valve seat.

10. A control valve, comprising: a valve body structure defining an axially directed inlet having a valve element engaging wall at one end thereof and a continuous annular flow passage radiating from said inlet, said valve body structure also delining a cavity confronting said inlet and terminating in an edge defined by an annular lip of larger diameter Vthan said inlet wall disposed in spaced relation to said inlet wall to dene there- .with the entrance of said radiating flow passage, said valve body structure also` defining an outlet communicating with said ow passage; a ilexible cup-shaped valve element sealed by its periphery to the walls of and covering said cavity and extending into engagement with said inlet wall; means communicating with said cavity and ex- Y tending laterally therefrom to the exterior of said body for pressurizing said cavity to force said valve element into sealing engagement with said inlet wall and radially to close the entrance of said ow Apassage between said lip and inlet wall and for releasing the pressure in said cavity to'retract said valve element and permit ilow through said inlet and flow passage, the surface area of said cavity, and the surface area of the portion of said valve element covering said cavity being substantially equal whereby when said valve element is retracted into said cavity said valve element is supported throughout by the walls of said cavity.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l 

